Uncork the joy of autumn with Rioja.
Discover pairings for seasonal moments you’ll fall for.
FOR NEARLY EVERY FALL MOMENT THERE IS, THERE’S A RIOJA WINE TO ENJOY WITH IT.
Spanning across fall-foliage picnics, harvest season celebrations, and wine tasting parties, the versatility of Rioja brings no shortage of perfect seasonal pairings.
1. FALL-FOLIAGE PICNIC + RIOJA RESERVA
Enjoy a picnic where fall foliage is on stunning display, pairing it with another instance of beauty that’s worth the wait. Aged for at least three years, the beautiful complexities of a Rioja Reserva will make taking in the fall colors all the more excellent.
Aged in oak for at least one year, any Reserva is a nice pairing for fall weather. But to really complement the earthy and oaky aromas of autumn, we suggest pairing them with either one of the three Reservas we’ve selected!
Featured Wines:
2. HARVEST SEASON CELEBRATION + RIOJA White & ROsado
Since autumn is known as the harvest season, there isn’t a better way to celebrate its harvests than by enjoying some of its finest ones from years past. Grab a crisp Rioja white, prepare tapas to share with your loved ones, and enjoy them outside—raising a glass to harvest season.
If enjoying lighter bites, e.g., cheeses, seafood, or fresh salads, go for the citrusy notes and crisp acidity of a Rioja white. For heartier fare, e.g., charcuterie and roasted vegetables, the red-fruit aromas and food-friendly acidity of a Rioja rosado will do.
Featured Wines:
3. HOSTING A RIOJA WINE TASTING PARTY
When the season’s weather starts to get less inviting, you can make the most of a cozy night spent inside. We recommend hosting a wine tasting party, inviting people over for some quality time—spent with quality wine. Pick the Rioja varietals you want your guests to try, put out enough wine glasses, and enjoy an evening of sharing wine with friends, along with your impressions of each new bottle...
There isn’t one right way to host a Rioja wine tasting. However, choosing wines to compare differing ages and styles often makes for a much fuller experience, showcasing Rioja’s depth and diversity. Offering red and white wines that are known for aging, Rioja’s Crianzas, Reservas, and Gran Reservas are perfect for this.
Take this lineup as an example for how you can select wines to compare their ages and styles:
- Start with a Rioja Crianza or Tempranillo.
- Red Crianzas and white Crianzas are both aged for two years.
- Tempranillos are a young wine with little to no aging
- Next, uncork a Rioja Reserva.
- Red Reservas are aged for three years.
- White Reservas are aged for two years.
- Then close things out with a Rioja Gran Reserva.
- Red Gran Reservas and white Gran Reservas are both aged for five years.
Featured Wines:
Come Back for the Next Season
More Seasonal Pairings are to come. We can’t wait for you to see the wine + activity pairings we’ve curated for winter. With each season comes moments that pair perfectly with a pour of Rioja.
Have a lovely fall, and stay tuned for winter pairings.
Find the Perfect Pairing
Transform your next evening with a bottle of Rioja.